SEND Strategy for Children, Young People and Families in York (September 2021 - September 2025)
SEND Strategy for children, young people and
families in York
September 2021 – September 2025
Contents Foreword ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Our Vision ............................................................................................................................................... 4
Why have we set the priorities that we have? ....................................................................................... 5
How will we hold ourselves to account? ................................................................................................ 7
This strategy sets out our ambitions for the next 4 years ..................................................................... 8
How will we know we are making a difference? .................................................................................. 10
Four key priorities for the next four years. ......................................................................................... 11
Priority One – The voice of children and young people is paramount ............................................ 11
Priority Two - The right support is in the right place at the right time .......................................... 12
Priority Three - Children and young people’s needs are identified at the earliest opportunity ..... 13
Priority Four - Effective transition is secured so that young people are able to live the best adult lives that they can ............................................................................................................................. 14
How will we know we have achieved our vision and ambitions?......................................................... 14
Foreword
Lead Member for Children's Services, City of York Council
York Parent Carer Forum
Accountable Officer, Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group
In York we are ambitious for our children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and want them to achieve strong outcomes. We know that we have got a lot to do following our SEND Inspection in 2019. This SEND Strategy builds on the progress that has already been made to date, it sits alongside our Written Statement of Action as we continue to demonstrate that improvements have been achieved, that we become the best that we can and that we can maintain that improvement journey.
We are committed to listening to children, young people and families, that every conversation starts with the child, and that our services are locally delivered and match local need. We will make sure that the decisions we make will be evidence based, and that we can show impact using our co-produced outcomes framework. Through strong partnership working we are all aiming to secure that our children and young people in York succeed and are happy, healthy and safe.
This strategy sets out our key priorities. We are committed to working together with children, young people, their families, and all partners across education, health and care to achieve these so that we make a real difference for children and young people with SEND in York.
Our Vision The ambition is to be the best that we can, that York is a City that is inclusive for all, that services are delivered at the right time and from the right places, that all of our children succeed and are happy, healthy and safe.
We continue to address the areas identified during the SEND inspection in 2019.
As we plan for recovery from the pandemic, we know that this has had an impact on children, young people, families and all our partners. Our city will recover but this will take time, and we acknowledge the financial pressures that we currently face. This means that we have to make sure that our finite resources are used to best effect, directed at those who most need support in our local area.
This strategy has been co-produced and has been informed by our joint strategic needs assessment, self evaluation framework and corporate priorities in the council and the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group. The introduction of integrated health and care systems and place based, needs-led commissioning brings new opportunities to ensure that children and young people with
SEND are better supported across all their needs.
This strategy sets out our priorities for children and young people with SEND in York, for the next four years. As a partnership, we have identified the following priorities:
1. The voice of children and young people is paramount 2. The right support is in the right place at the right time 3. Children and young people’s needs are identified at the earliest opportunity 4. Effective transition is secured so that young people are able to live the best adult lives that they can
Why have we set the priorities that we have? Young people, parents and carers have told us that the most important outcomes that all children and young people should achieve are:
I am healthy I have a choice and am heard I am safe I achieve my goals I am included I can overcome challenges and difficulties on my own or with support I am becoming independent
These statements are the basis of our outcomes framework and what we will measure ourselves against. We want to make sure that in order to secure these outcomes that children are listened to, their needs identified, that support is available for them to achieve and are supported to live the best adult lives they can.
Our Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) tells us that York has an older population and fewer children than other parts of the country. There are approximately 73,900 people under the age of 25 living in York. This includes 20,000 university students, mostly aged 18-22, who have moved to York to study.
Table 1
0-4 years 5-10 years 11-16 years 17-19 years 20-25 years 9,800 12,950 11,850 12,550 26,750 Nationally, the proportion of pupils with a special educational need and disability (January 2019) was 14.9% of the total pupil population. In York, 13% of pupils have SEND (January 2020); 9.6% have SEN-support, and 2.8% have an EHCP.
The graph below shows that a third of all EHCPs in York are for children and young people with a primary need of autism spectrum condition. This is the most common need type for the EHCP cohort. Social emotional and mental health is the second most common reason for an EHCP and, accounts for 14% of all current EHCPs.
The graph below shows that a third of all EHCPs in York are for children and young people with a primary need of autism spectrum condition.
Table 2
Need type by EHCP (left) and SEN-Support (right) for Cyp in In York, January 2020 school census.
In young children, communication and interaction need is most prevalent; nearly half of KS1 with SEN-support plans. From age eight cognition and learning need becomes more prevalent; 40% of SEN-support plans for 8-16 year olds. 28% of SEN-support plans for secondary age children are linked to social, emotional, or mental health need, and this rises slightly with age.
There has been a clear and sustained decrease in the proportion of pupils receiving SEN-support plans across the country between. 2010 and 2015 this fell by a third across England, with similar reductions for pupils in York and York’s Cipfa neighbour areas. Since 2016, these proportions have stabilised, both in York and nationally. This reflects a national ambition set out on the Ofsted Special Educational Needs and Disability review.
Table 3
It was clear from speaking to parents of children and young people with SEND is that the transition points of moving into primary school, secondary school, and post 16 education were very salient for families. Parents often emphasised these years and experiences without prompting.
How will we hold ourselves to account? We have a SEND Improvement Board that has representation from parents, and partners from education, health and social care. This board holds us all to account and ensures continuous improvement and progress is achieved. The diagram below sets out how important SEND is, and the accountable reporting structures across the local area.
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
% school age pupils
% of pupils with SEN-Support
York
England
Cipfa mean
This strategy sets out our ambitions for the next 4 years The Local Area was inspected between 9 December – 13 December 2019 by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission to judge the effectiveness of the area in implementing the reforms as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014. Whilst strengths were identified, the inspectors found significant weaknesses in four areas and therefore required the local area to produce a Written Statement of Action to set out how improvements were to be achieved.
Our written statement of action was judged fit for purpose by Ofsted in May 2020 and this plan continues to drive our improvement journey until we are re inspected.
In March 2020 the country was amidst a global pandemic Covid- 19. This has presented significant challenges for children, families, schools, settings and our organisations. The Parent Carer Forum hosted by York Inspirational Kids has continued to highlight the difficulties from a parental perspective, as has our local Sendiass service. We continue to hear and learn from these experiences and this has shaped some of our practices going forward.
Since May 2020 the Council and the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group have made progress against all of the four areas requiring improvement but we accept that the improvement journey is ongoing and will take time to
Figure 1
embed. We are committed to achieving inclusion in our local schools, being ambitious that children get the best start in life and have opportunities to live the best life that they can.
In December 2020 the first of two phases of a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment was completed for children and young people in York. This allowed us to consider local needs led data, and inform the key priorities in this strategy.
The Council established a ‘People’ Directorate in February 2021 creating an environment which secures working arrangements across children’s and adult’s services, provides greater opportunities to focus on joint assessment, planning and commissioning and support to achieve successful adulthood.
The current financial context means that both the Council and the Ccg must ensure that all of our resources are used to best effect, can demonstrate that they are value for money and deliver good outcomes.
In February 2021 the Council set out an ambition to ensure that local services for SEND in York were sufficient, fit for purpose and reflected local need. An Inclusion review had been underway for a number of years, and by 2021 it was the right time to consult on a range of options that would see jointly commissioned SEND services in York be local shaped for children and young people.
Families had already told us that they want to tell their story once, see that their children progress and succeed, and are supported and prepared for a successful adult life. They have told us that they want to see that their children are included in education, have the same opportunities as others and that local provision fits with the needs of their children.
The strategy also connects with a number of cross cutting themes across the Local Area Partnership and we will assure ourselves that all of our activity also works towards
Reducing child poverty Increasing the health and wellbeing of children and young people Ensuring the voice of children and young people is heard Creating communities that are safe, resilient and responsive to the
diversity within them
How will we know we are making a difference? York has had a SEND Improvement Board since 2020 to ensure there is improvement achieved against the Written Statement of Action and will monitor progress against this strategy, it has created a strong partnership for governance and accountability from the Council, the Ccg, York Parent Carer Forum and Sendiass.
This Board will also ensure the SEND Strategy is live, that actions are achieved and that we can evidence that continuous improvement is maintained and sustained.
This strategy and the key priorities outlined have been agreed as being the most important things to concentrate on by a range of stakeholders. All are accepting that we must be realistic in what we can do, concentrate on the right things that will make the most difference, and not over promise and under deliver. We will hold ourselves to account, we will use our Outcomes framework to demonstrate impact, and we will achieve together.
In July 2020 the Ccg, and Cyc held events with families and partners to determine what outcomes we want to measure our success against, they identified that children and young people should be able to indicate the following:
I am safe
I can overcome challenges and difficulties on my own or with support
I achieve my goals
I have choice and am heard
I am included
I am healthy
I am becoming more independent
Every conversation should start with the child, make sure that children and young people are actively involved in planning and shaping their futures from early years to adulthood. Our way of working as a strong partnership will create better opportunities and demonstrate better outcomes. Working with families at the earliest opportunity through coordinated early identification, assessment and support
Four key priorities for the next four years. Over the next 4 years our focus will be on 4 key priorities:
Priority One – The voice of children and young people is paramount Embed a practice model that every conversation starts with the child, that children, young people and families tell us that they have been included, heard and involved, and have only had to tell their story once
Ensure that all children and young people with SEND are able to access
information and communication in ways that promote their ability to be involved and express their views Ensure a wider reach of engagement from parents, carers, children and
young people in York that reflects the full range of SEND. The York
1. The voice of children, young people and families is visible in all that we do 2. Ensure sufficiency of support through joint working across the local area partnership, adopting evidence based commissioning using the JSNA 3. All children and young people identified as having special educational needs have their needs identified early, are supported in the local area and are able to access a range of provision that results in success and achievement 4. All children and young people are able to experience a smooth transition at key points throughout their education and into adulthood
Parent Carer Forum drives forward partnership working with families in York alongside schools, partners, the Local Authority and the Clinical Commissioning Group Children and young people tell us that things are improving for them and
that our plans to support them are of a good quality, meet their needs and are jointly produced with them. All parents, carers, children and young people tell us that they know
how to get involved in joint partnership working if they want to. Young people tell us how they are working towards achieving their
outcomes. Widen York Parent Carer representatives and reintroduce young
peoples group with a wide representation of need Ensure that our young people in York help us to shape and develop our
local communities, jointly commission and shape the services. Ensure all local strategic partners Ysab, Pcf participate in the shaping
and delivery of SEND and championing Inclusion.
Priority Two - The right support is in the right place at the right time
The Inclusion Review 2021 ensures sufficiency for SEND Educational
provision in York from 2021 onwards, with a particular focus on the needs of children with a profile of Asc and Slcn. That good graduation and support is evident in mainstream schools and settings, and children feel included in their local areas. Humber Coast & Vale Integrated Care system will link the SEND
workstream with other children and young people programmes in line with the NHS Long term plan and placed based commissioning strategies Development of the neurodevelopmental pathway 0 – 25, and the
graduated approach of support available across the partnership pre and post assessment and diagnosis Recommissioning the York Sendias service by Cyc and the Ccg, so
that families have access to high quality information and advice for their families. Implement the key worker programme for children and young people
with autism, learning disabilities and complex needs. Key working will facilitate effective planning for improved outcomes and joint plans for children and young people with these profiles of need, ensuring their voices are heard throughout their journey
Effective use of Section 75 to strengthen joint commissioning
arrangements between Ccg and Cyc Young people and families work with us to develop and shape the
Preparation for Adulthood model, ensuring sufficiency for post 16 education, being ambitious about employment and community opportunities, reducing loneliness and isolation. The Health and Care Alliance in York will set local direction and
oversee delivery of Integrated systems for all ages and including SEND Improved data sharing at population level between agencies to support
service planning and monitoring
Priority Three - Children and young people’s needs are identified at the earliest opportunity
Through the Early Years Strategic Board – there is a specific focus on
SEND and areas of disadvantage. In schools and settings that there is a programme of support for SENCO’s and leaders to identify needs early, embed graduation and ensure support is delivered in a timely. Working with early years partners and settings to identify how best to
support children at the earliest opportunity. Revision of the graduated response and models of inclusion for schools
and settings for children at SEN support Revision of the funding model to support children and young people
supported at SEN support and with an EHCP Implementation of Mental Health Support Teams working in York
schools to support emotional well-being and mental health Ensuring a strong third sector offer for children and young people with
SEND Health screening through health visitors' mandated health checks, Lac
health checks, effective use of notifications under S23 Children and Families Act, and increased take-up of learning disability health checks at ages 14-25. Revision of the neurodevelopmental pathway and associated support for
children pre assessment and post diagnosis with Asc, Adhd/other neurodiverse conditions.
Priority Four - Effective transition is secured so that young people are able to live the best adult lives that they can
Ensure successful transition planning at all key phases throughout
children and young people’s education journey Ensure successful transition planning is in place between paediatric and
adult health providers Effective data sharing and forecasting takes place between children and
adult services Develop an Integrated SEND delivery model, reflecting the age range 0 –
25. The SEND Hub will integrate assessments, pathways and draw on the expertise across the local area Development of the local offer that supports preparation for adulthood,
secures more opportunities for employment
How will we know we have achieved our vision and ambitions?
We will review this strategy each year. There will be a set of key
performance indicators that we will agree and monitor progress against: Through auditing we will embed our practice model, and we will use the
information to continue to drive up the quality and consistency of plans for our children and young people. Children, young people and families will tell us that their experiences in
our local mainstream schools with SEND are positive that they feel included and listened to Feedback mechanisms show improvement in satisfaction rates for how
we communicate, involvement with strategic planning and quality of our services. Reduction in exclusions and increase in the number of children with
SEND able to access their local Mainstream School Children and young people remain in their schools following key points
of transition Reduction in the number of placement movements at Y7 and Y10 Destination data tells us more young people are accessing employment Children, young people, families and schools will tell us that the quality
of our Education Health and Care Plans are consistently of a high standard, and that the support detailed in them result in success and achievement
That there is an increase in local services jointly commissioned, shaped
by our local communities and that there is improved contract monitoring arrangements in place to secure outcomes achieved Following consultation events – there is sufficient SEND Educational
provision that meets the needs of the local population Place based commissioning is in place through the Integrated Care
System Publish ‘You Said We Did’, Newsletters and hold regular events to
communicate progress A revised neurodevelopmental pathway is in place, detailing the
integrated offer across all partners working to support children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing Our local integrated data set for SEND will tell us that there is a clear
direction of improvement
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